The player entry list heading into next week’s Central Coast Pro Tennis Open is jam-packed with recognizable current WTA players, and some you will be no doubt be hearing about in the years to come.
The 2018 US Open doubles champion and former US Open Junior Girls’ winner CoCo Vandeweghe has received a USTA wild card into the third annual Central Coast Pro Tennis Open, a USTA Pro Circuit Women’s $60,000 event taking place Sept. 23-29 at the Templeton Tennis Ranch.
The tournament is part of the USTA Pro Circuit and designated as a high-level event just below the WTA Tour. Qualifying matches begin on Monday, Sept. 23, with main-draw matches beginning the following day and concluding with the singles final on Sept. 29. Tickets for all the exciting tennis action are on sale now at www.my805tix.com.
August 26, 2019 – Coco Vandeweghe in action against Sofia Kenin at the 2019 US Open. (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/USTA)
The 27-year-old Vandeweghe of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., is a former Top 15-ranked player in the world and has played in three Grand Slam doubles finals during her career. Out for most of the year because of a nagging right ankle injury that ultimately led to surgery, Vandeweghe returned for the recent US Open where she played singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
On the comeback trail, Vandeweghe lost in the first round at the US Open to CCPTO alum Sonya Kenin, who is now ranked in the world’s top 20 in singles.
Twenty-five-year-old Miami Beach resident Genie Bouchard of Canada will be the top-seeded player once the draws are released this weekend. Bouchard burst onto the tennis scene in 2014 when she made the semifinals at both the Australian and French Open. At Wimbledon, Bouchard defeated world No. 3 Simona Halep in straight sets to become the first Canadian-born player representing Canada to make it into a Grand Slam singles final, ultimately falling to Wimbledon 2011 champion Petra Kvitová in straight sets.
“Just like our first two years, we once again have a first-class field of top American and international up-and-coming WTA players in our field,” said Ralph Goehring, CCPTO tournament director Templeton Tennis Ranch owner. “It always amazes me how the Central Coast Pro Tennis Open has been able to attract some of the biggest names ready to break through on tour. With the addition of CoCo and Genie, we have two of the biggest names currently on the WTA Tour.”
Also receiving a USTA wild card into the tournament is former world top 20 player Varvara Lepchenko and former University of Michigan star Emina Bektas.
Others notables in the main draw include: former French open quarterfinalist Shelby Rogers, as well as fellow former collegiate stars Irina Falconi (Georgia Tech) and Danielle Lao (USC). Santa Barbara’s Kayla Day has also made the main draw as the former US Open Girls’ Junior champion has a current WTA ranking just inside the world No. 350.
Former Arroyo Grande High star Sophie Whittle has concluded her college career at Gonzaga University where she was the Western State Conference Player of the Year and will play in qualifying on Monday, as will 2018 USTA Girls’ Nationals 18s singles champion Ashley Kratzer and 2019 Girls’ Nationals winner Katie Volynets. Both players are past wild-card entrants into the main draw at the US Open.
Two Cal Poly doubles teams will play in the doubles main draw. Mustang’s Emily Louie-Madores and Delanie Dunkle will form one team, and Cal Poly teammates Susan Boyden and Dominique Stone are also entered in the main draw. Cal-Berkeley player Anna Bright beat UC-Santa Barbara commit Camille Kiss in the singles Wild Card Tournament for a spot in the qualifying draw.
Local tennis enthusiasts and the general public are invited to enjoy seven days of professional tennis. The tournament will include a free Kid’s Day (Sunday, Sept. 22, 4-6 p.m.); a pro-am event (Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m.) and other member social clinics. A Special Olympics demonstration will take place on Wednesday.
Sponsors include: : Battle in the Bay Tournament, USTA Southern California, Tiebreaker Brewing Co., Sky River RV, The Groves on 41, Merrill Lynch – Blake Goehring, Medina Light Show Designs, Tennis Warehouse, Mary Kay – Heide Grant, Mitch & Theresa Scott, Sentinel Peak Resources, Green Energy Innovations, Tally Vineyards, South Paso Chevron, Owen Main Photography, Oxford Suites – Paso Robles, Simply Clear Marketing, All Good Products, Armet’s Landscaping / A Team Fencing, Edward Jones – Terry Crowe, First American Title, Davis Auto Body, European Car Specialist, Designs in Life, The Margarita Man, David Bolivar, KPRL 1230, ColorCraft Printing, Balm Standard, Templeton Market & Deli, Walmart, Phil Keohen, Marc Eisemann, Rental Depot, The Blueprinter & Graphics, Trader Joes, Edward Jones – Matt Oppedahl, Kinetix PT.
To follow all the action, go to the tournament website: www.ttrprotennis.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ttrprotennis. Follow the USTA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @USTA (#USTAProCircuit).